Bangladeshi asylum applications to Europe hit  record high in 2024, 96% rejected

Highlights:

• Around 43,236 Bangladeshis submitted applications seeking asylum in the EU+ countries in 2024 
• This is a 7.2% increase from 40,332 applications last year
• 2024 witnessed the highest number of Bangladeshis applying for asylum in EU Plus in the past 10 years
• Following Italy, the highest number of Bangladeshi asylum applications were submitted for France and Ireland

A record number of Bangladeshis applied for asylum in European countries last year, although almost 96% of these applications were rejected.

According to the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) data published today, 43,236 Bangladeshis had submitted asylum applications in EU+ countries – the highest in the past 10 years, making Bangladeshis the sixth-largest group of asylum seekers in the region.

EU+ refers to the 27 European Union Member States, plus Norway and Switzerland. 

Of the total applications, 23,003 were filed between January and June last year, while 20,233 were submitted between July and December. The total represents a 7.2% increase from the 40,332 applications recorded in 2023.

Italy was the top destination for Bangladeshi asylum seekers, receiving 33,455 applications, which accounted for 77% of all Bangladeshi applications in the EU+ region. France followed with 6,429 applications, making up 15% of the total, while Ireland received 1,006 applications.

Despite the high number of applications, data suggests that the chances of obtaining asylum remained low for Bangladeshis. 

The asylum applications included individuals who lodged applications for international protection or were included as family members in such applications in the reporting country during the reporting month.

According to EUAA statistics, the positive recognition rate for Bangladeshis was only 3.9% in 2024. 

At the end of 2024, a total of 47,778 Bangladeshi applications were awaiting decision from authorities concerned in respective countries, while 1,989 Bangladeshis had already withdrawn their applications.

Meanwhile, among South Asian countries, Afghanistan topped the list with 87,382 applications, followed by Bangladesh. Pakistan ranked third, with 23,240 of its nationals seeking asylum in 2024.  

In 2024, the EU+ received around a million applications for asylum for the third consecutive year. However, the EUAA noted a slight decrease compared to 2023, deviating from the usual seasonal pattern in the second half of the year.

The EUAA also noted that nearly half of all asylum applications in 2024 (48%) came from nationalities with low recognition rates (≤ 20%), including Bangladeshis, Moroccans, and Tunisians.